


Rest, Relaxation, Reprobation

by averynicecake



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: (the tiniest bit), Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Sakura/Elise (Fire Emblem), Minor Violence, Post Revelations, Post-Canon, Roughhousing, Swordfighting, Underage Drinking, Vacation, all the violence is roughhousing and swordplay and maybe a little threatening but not much, camilla is gay but we already knew that, i'll add more tags as i go along, im a big big sucker for sakulise so that's not just gonna slide on by, leokumi - Freeform, mix of third person limited and omniscient but pretty takumi-centric, stop blaming takumi he is a good boy, stop telling me that i'm spelling things with a 'u' i'm british you absolute dingoes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2018-08-12 06:56:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7924951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/averynicecake/pseuds/averynicecake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's certainly not Takumi's fault that they've ended up having to stay in Nohr for the fortnight.<br/>It's obviously not Takumi's fault the agreement can't be signed and conflict is on the verge of breaking out.<br/>He can't help it if he has a cold heart and a spiky demeanour - he's pushed everyone away since Corrin was taken and he'll likely stay that way for the rest of his life.<br/>At least, that's how he thought about it before he got to know Lord Leo. Now, though?<br/>He's not so sure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi makes a vital mistake in - well, in having opinions. Hinoka makes sure he realises the error of his ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been meaning to write a slow burn fic foreeeeever but I honestly don't have the patience. But this time will be different! This time I will work my lil socks off until I learn that good things come to authors who wait!
> 
> I hope you like this! If you want to see more, feel free to bookmark! I can't promise to update every week or anything because school but I'll try my very best!  
> All kudos and comments are very much appreciated -It makes me so happy to know you enjoy my writing! (*´∀`*)

It was infuriating. Takumi had spent hour after hour at the shooting range, his bow bent and his arrows nocked, annihilating the bullseyes of each target, every day. He concentrated on even the slightest of movements, every breath, from the moment the sun showed itself to when it was too dark to see, and for what? Sure, the war was over, but selfish as it was, it meant nothing when he found himself being dragged along to visit Nohr every time some plucky peasant started a petition to increase the number of daikon traded per day. Ryoma would scold him if he refused to tag along, and as much as he hated being sat stiffly in velvet dinner chairs, he despised his elder brother's shouting even more. Even if he stood his ground, he would, without fail, wind up being won over by Corrin's incessant pleading; her days in a locked fortress would have been insufferable if she hadn't mastered the art of wrapping people round her fingers.

It wasn't exactly a small secret that Takumi hated these events. He took every opportunity to look as uncomfortable as he could in the hopes that some day, one of his siblings would take pity and side with him when he asked to be left in Hoshido. He picked at the food, grumbled about the Nohrian clothes they had to wear in order to blend in, made sarcastic and bitter remarks whenever there was an appropriate window in the conversation, and constantly glared at every Royal – both his own family and their hosts' – all in hope to save himself from these insufferable 'unions'.

Unfortunately, as any other rational human being would have deduced, his actions reaped unwanted consequences. On a morning just like any other, began the two weeks of his life that would send him into the exact hell he'd been avoiding.

He had been on his way to the dairy to aid Corrin in soothing a particularly uncooperative cow that was refusing to be milked. Animals, unlike most people, weren't put off by his caution, but rather endeared by it. His excess wariness promised them protection from harm, as long as he was close by. Corrin began to pick up on it when Kaden always followed Takumi doggedly – or rather, foxedly – to the hot springs, begging and pleading to have his fur brushed. It was most likely the reason for her calling for him specifically.

He stopped by the smithy to ask for a bucket for the milk, when he felt slender, powerful fingers dig into his arm. He knew he was in trouble before he even turned around to see Hinoka's brick red eyes burning right through him.

“Takumi,” she said, her voice alarmingly sinister, “we need to talk.”

He didn't dare open his mouth to question her.

Hinoka's grip on his forearm did not soften in the slightest as she led him out of the store and round to the back of the stables. Only then did she let go, and the moment she did, Takumi felt the butt of her hand meet his chest, and he was pinned against the stable wall. The bucket clattered to the floor.

“You idiot! Did you really, truly think your little 'hints' at the Nohrian dinners would go unnoticed? Did you think you were being clever?”

He winced a bit at that. There was a small part of himself that had been convincing his mind that he was being sly, that only his siblings would notice. It became dizzyingly overrun with shame and a rising fear of the predicament he was now in. He seemed to have a talent of forgetting that subtlety wasn't his forté.

“You've put not just our _family_ , not just our _kingdom_ , but the whole of Nohr in danger. There is supposed to be a trading agreement signed in three weeks, and Lady Elise is refusing to attend because apparently you make her feel uncomfortable.”

Takumi squirmed. “So? She's last in line to the throne, she doesn't need to be the-”

“Would you let me finish? If Lady Elise won't attend, Sakura said she won't either. If Sakura won't go, Corrin won't go, and if Corrin won't go then neither will Lady Camilla.”

“That's a good thing, right? You hate Camilla, you always go on about how brazen and arrogant she is, and should learn how to cover her- oof!” He was cut short as Hinoka pushed on his chest and knocked the air from his lungs.

“Think about it, Takumi! You know that the next-in-line to the throne has to second the decision. That means both Lady Camilla and I have to go, and at the moment that can't happen, meaning the trading agreement can't get signed and Nohr's people will starve.”

Takumi struggled to push away her hand, taking a good few steps back. Just in case. “Well, what am I supposed to do about it now? I can't reverse time!”

“Oh, we've already done something about it. This is just your warning, just to warm you up a little. Because you're not going to like what's happening.” Hinoka folded her arms over her chest. “Pack your bags, brother,” she ordered with an expression of pure disgust, folding her fists so tight her knuckles paled, “we're spending the week in Nohr.”


	2. I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi always manages to get himself in more trouble than he thinks possible.  
> Leo breaks records with how fast he upsets everyone.  
> Really, they're a disaster waiting to happen.

Prince Takumi, sitting in a horse-drawn carriage with his siblings, pretending to busy himself with a book, had somehow managed to get himself into sufficient trouble that his payback was spending time with a myriad of Nohrian snobs and braggarts. It was, without doubt, the worst punishment Ryoma had yet to issue.

Sakura had fallen fast asleep, her head resting against Corrin's chest, waist held close by her elder sister's arm. Ryoma was hunched with a needle between his teeth, attempting to fix the hole he'd torn in his kimono when he got too close to a hungry pegasus, with Corrin reaching out and holding the fabric flat with her free arm. Even though Takumi was pretending to look busy specifically to avoid confrontation, Hinoka had been hell-bent on staring him down for the duration of the journey, which, as of the moment he looked up from the book, was about eight hours.

Takumi raised his head, but did not make eye contact. “Please stop staring.”

Hinoka blinked, looking a little rattled. She squeezed her eyes shut and fiercely rubbed them with her thumb and forefinger, her gaze straining to her two younger sisters when she reopened them.

The young prince looked down at his book, reading and re-reading the same line over and over - his eyes spattered with chestnut stars – all in an attempt to keep his family's attention away. A part of him knew it wasn't going to work. He hadn't turned the page in twenty minutes, which was most likely the reason Hinoka had been looking. Now he thought about it, heat was pooling in his cheeks. He could feel her staring again.

Sure enough, when he looked up he met her eyes in a linear glare that she seemed to be holding without any signs of surrender.

“Hinoka, can you stop staring?”

“Hm?”

“Stop staring. I'm trying to read.”

She caught herself just as Ryoma looked over to check on her, and blinked away her embarrassment with a toss of her head. It was obvious that her fixation was some kind of subconscious decision. She didn't know she was doing it, she just... was. The strait seemed to have captured Corrin's attention, as she peered over Sakura's shoulder to take a close look at her brother's passtime.

Takumi began to panic. The book he was 'reading' was actually something he'd taken from Corrin's bookshelf – he hadn't the mental energy nor concern to read one of his own at that particular time and had gotten panicky when his retainers suggested he bring a book. It was one of the corny romantic novels she read on a daily basis, and while he wasn't exactly enjoying it, he had managed to fight his way past two-hundred-odd pages, and cringe through a good number of intimate scenes. His heart was doing cartwheels in his chest, and he found himself gripping the edges of the book so hard the pages wrinkled beneath his fingers. Gods, if Corrin found out that he'd been reading a romance novel, she would never, ever let it go. To have it revealed in front of his entire family would mean constant torment and mockery, and for Hinoka to find out he was using the book as a distraction... He couldn't imagine what would happen to him.

In a quick fix decision to spare himself the shame any of these possibilities, he snapped the book closed and tucked it on the inside of his coat, hidden from sight. He sat and prayed nobody had seen the cover.

Of course, somebody had, and that somebody being Corrin, she had seen everything and hadn't the self-awareness to keep her mouth shut.

“Takumi, is that one of my books?”

He felt her breath like fire over his shoulder as she leaned to get a better look. Shaken, he quickly replied, “maybe, if you like reading ancient history.”

She raised an eyebrow. “If that's the book I think it is, it's most certainly not about ancient history. It's more along the lines of a passio-”

“You got me!” Takumi yelped in a weak attempt at distraction. “You caught me out, fair and square. This isn't ancient history, it's, uh...” His throat ran dry as the eyes of his entire family began to gawk expectantly. “I-it's about gemstones?”

Ryoma frowned. “Is that a question or an answer?”

Takumi began to fidget in his seat, his knees bouncing restlessly. “I found some pretty gemstones, so I wanted to find out what they were,” he said, “can't blame a guy for being curious!”

Corrin sighed. “Is your masculinity really so fragile that you can't admit to reading a romance novel?”

In that instant, Takumi could feel his calm shatter like glass around him. His stomach felt like it had burst in his throat. Why could she never just shut up?

“Is that true? You're reading a romance novel?”

He refused to meet his Hinoka's eyes.

“It's nothing to be ashamed of,” Ryoma interjected, “none of us ever had the typical interests of children our age. We never questioned it when you were dead set on drowning Nohrians in their own blood at the age of eleven, or when I developed a keen interest for haircare.”

“We never denied ourselves our pleasures, though,” Hinoka argued, “I may be brutal, but I'm no hypocrite.”

“I'm not a hypocrite!” Takumi snapped, balling his fists. “Look, Oboro told me I should bring a book so I didn't get bored during the ride. I didn't really feel it necessary, but there's no arguing with Oboro, so I grabbed the first one I saw.”

“But if you didn't think you needed to, why are you reading it now? You could've just slipped it in Corrin's bag.” Hinoka's posture suddenly straightened, giving her a good few inches on Takumi's slouch. Her mind was almost audibly whirring. “You were trying to avoid a second confrontation, weren't you?”

He shuddered.

“Takumi, you are a _prince_! You have to take responsibility for your actions and learn from your mistakes. How long will it take you to get that through your head?”

“I'm an adult, Hinoka, I can figure things out for mysel-”

“Well, then! If you're so grown up, you should figure out how to act like it,” she cut in sharply, “or do I have to teach you that as well?”

Rage began to boil in the young prince's veins, driving him to fury. His cheeks grew warm with embarrassment and indignation, his already short fuse rapidly burning away. “As well?” Takumi set his knees further apart, sat up straight like they'd taught him in etiquette lessons, hoping with the last of his wits that it would at least make him a modicum more menacing. “As well as what? Are you implying that trapping me against a wall and threatening me is a lesson? Because I don't think I've learned a thing.” His mustered courage petered out and he sat back, oozing with irritation. Ryoma turned to his younger sister with a face full of dismay.

“Hinoka, is this true? Did you truly do that to our brother?”

Takumi's anger turned to cold worry that he'd gotten her into more trouble than he had intended.

She folded her arms and crossed her legs, reclining into her seat with her brows furrowed in a harsh, thick scowl. “I'll admit it.” She leaned to muffle her voice into the window, pouting. “I lost my temper. But that doesn't mean what I did was wrong, just that I did it in an... unorthodox way.”

“Hinoka, let us not forget that you too are of royal blood. If something were to happen to me, you are next in line to the throne, and from what we have seen unfold in Nohr, our people would not benefit from a Queen who uses rash methods of punishment only because they have lost their rag. I would thank you not to let this happen again.”

The prince's heart began to ache. Being scolded by the King meant you were worthy of his attention – just not in a good way. It made your fingers and toes numb, your blood run cold, your legs tremble. Somehow, having the King as a brother felt even worse. Ryoma had not just a lawful obligation to punish, but a familial sense of disappointment. Takumi tried to blink back the singeing of guilt in his eyes when he thought about how he had pushed his own sister into it. Before he had a chance to wallow in his remorse, the carriage slowed to a crawl – they were approaching Castle Krakenburg.

The courtyard stretched along as far as the eye could see, all dusty plains and dark, sculpted bushes. The castle towered above, but not quite as threateningly as it had under King Garon's ruling. Any servants who happened to be outside began to turn their heads to the Hoshidan vehicle, and Takumi noticed a familiar maid rushing inside, her frost-blue pigtails bobbing as she went, returning moments later with the Nohrian Royal family at her side, looking remarkably more relaxed than when they had last met. Camilla and Elise were dolled up in their finest gowns, free of the armour they had worn during the war, Leo was wearing a simple, dark outfit of a turtleneck and leggings, and Xander was swamped in a regal cape that bore the Nohrian crest, similar to the gargantuan swathes of fabric Ryoma dressed in for special occasions.

Takumi jolted when the carriage door swung open and the driver beckoned them out. While Corrin shook Sakura awake and helped her down from her seat, Elise immediately rushed to greet her with a hug that almost knocked all three princesses over.

“Sakura!” She squealed, “I've been waiting by the doors all day! When Camilla told me you were coming to stay, my retainers and I went out and got a special Hoshidan mattress just for you! Leo told me that Hoshidans don't really sleep in beds, and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable while you're here. But if you want to try a bed that's fine – I can get Effie to carry one in! Oh, and we bought tea, and those sweets you like – what are they called, mochi? Then I got Arthur to find some- hey, are you listening?”

Sakura yawned loudly into her fist and rubbed her eyelids. “Mm? Oh, sorry, I just woke up. I'm so tired...”

“That's okay!” Elise said with a giggle, “I'll take you and Corrin down to my room and you can go back to sleep if you want. Here, hold my hand!”

It didn't take long after the young princesses had dashed away for Camilla to make her way over, all bouncing hair, and pouts, and glamour. Takumi almost got a headache from looking at her. He wanted to vomit when she started her ritual of shamelessly attempting to court Hinoka. Gods, he'd honestly rather die than watch her flirting and flaunting.

Ryoma was already striding to greet the proud King Xander, which left only Takumi himself, and Leo.

Prince Leo was the only member of the Nohrian royal family he could stand to be around for more than ten minutes – in fact, much to his embarrassment, he considered him to be one of his closest friends. Whenever the other family visited, they would keep each other company by playing games, teaching one another how to cook their native meals, or just sitting in their bedrooms, chatting. He often felt himself grow warm with satisfaction when they met after a long period of separation, though he'd never admit it out loud.

They stared for a moment or two before Leo cocked his head backwards in invitation, and Takumi began walking towards him. His pace was quickened by a gleeful anticipation to see the familiar young man again.

“Prince Takumi,” he greeted with a formal nod, hands clasped behind his back.

Takumi came to a halt on the concrete in front of the palace and bowed. “Prince Leo,” he replied, and as they both cracked a smile, he leaned forwards into a welcoming embrace.

“It's good to see you again. How have things been since we last met? Dull?”

“Essentially,” Takumi shrugged, leaving the hug and looking back over his shoulder with crossed arms, “nothing very interesting ever happens when we're apart.”

Leo chuckled. “My, you ought to be more careful in your choice of phrasing. You almost make it sound like you missed me.” His laughter descended into muffled snorts and giggles as the silver-haired man jabbed him sharply in the side with a pointed elbow. “Come on,” he grinned, “go get your bags and I'll show you to your room.”

“I have my own room?” He asked. Leo grimaced.

“Er, not quite. But my room is fairly large, so I'm sure it won't be an issue.” He watched with panic as Takumi's shoulders slumped and started trailing towards the carriage for his bags. “W-wait! If it means so much, I'm sure we can sort something out. I'll ask my retainers to share a room for a while, or I'll have Elise stay in Camilla's room. Sorry, I should've thought about this before but I'll figure it all out, just give me a-”

“Hey.” Takumi stopped in his tracks and turned back to smile. “It's alright. As long as we don't have to share a bed, I'll get through. I've slept in worse places, right?”

Leo stammered and ducked his chin in embarrassment. He'd definitely made too much of a fuss. “I, er- right.”

“But hey.” The Hoshidan clasped his friend's shoulder and shook it gently. “Thanks for the offer.”

The other prince stared after him, a little dumbfounded, as he hauled two silken bags from the carriage trunk and began to lead back towards the castle.

Even though Takumi knew his way to Leo's room from almost any point in the castle after having been invited there at least twenty times, the native Prince still tried to direct him, swinging his arms to indicate which of the various hallway to go down, despite lagging about four feet behind. The servants they passed had to stifle their giggles when they saw a member of the royal family windmilling about through the corridors. He managed to stop himself after a curious look from his retainer, Niles, hoping Takumi hadn't seen.

“This is it, ri-oof!” Leo failed to notice his companion come to a stop, and collided with his back. Promptly, he stumbled into an upright position, flustered.

“Sorry. I didn't know this was my room. Well, I did, but I didn't know you were stopping, so, erm.” he ducked his head and kicked at the floor in desperation. “I, uh. Sorry.”

Thankfully, Takumi didn't read into it, just shook his head and smiled. “You really are weird,” he said, “well, whatever, I'm going in.” The door swung open and Takumi sauntered in as if it were his own home, tossing his bags on the floor. “Oh, is this for me?” He cooed at the floor, slithering down to wrap himself in the covers of a futon.

“Are you comfortable down there?” Leo's eyes fell on the sight of his friend snuggled into a thick blanket, his legs spread wide and an expression of bliss on his face, and he couldn't help but giggle.

“Mmm,” he hummed in response, rolling the covers into a cocoon. Having seemingly finished breaking in his new bed, Takumi wriggled out of the warmth, crossed his legs and beamed in the purest, most innocent way Leo had ever seen – far sweeter than Sakura could manage. “You didn't tell me you had a futon here!”

“It was supposed to be a surprise. I got Odin and Niles to find one so you feel more at home while you're here.”

“Thank you! Odin... As in 'Almighty Chosen One' Odin?”

Leo snorted. “Yeah, and Niles as in the one that relentlessly flirted with you when you first came here.”

Takumi groaned in retrospect. “Gods, of course. I remember all those hand gestures he made at me and- oh, the things he said to me.” He shuddered, making his ponytail bounce behind him. “Did he really have that much of a thing for me?”

“He never usually has things for anybody, he just enjoys making people uncomfortable,” Leo explained, and then paused to think. “I do remember him making a comment about you being a 'sexy breath of fresh air', though. I think he said something else too, but from what I can recall it wasn't exactly appropriate.”

“He said that to me as well. Eugh. Why do you Nohrians have such odd retainers? You have a whole country of vastly talented soldiers willing to lay themselves at your feet, and you pick the least sane ones and turn all the rest away.”

“I could ask you the same question. Last time I was in Hoshido, Oboro would charge at me with a naginata every time I walked within two metres of any of you. I had to wear a full suit of armour for the whole week,” Leo groaned as if Oboro herself had materialised and run him through, and shut the door behind them. “Kagero growled at Camilla whenever she touched anything, Saizo watched Xander in his sleep, and I'm almost certain Azama tried to offer me and Elise some kind of narcotic.”

“Alright, that's fair.” Takumi chuckled. “Gods, do you remember when Effie tried to pick up Ryoma and throw him out of the castle? She thought he was some kind of 'lobster man' coming to attack Elise!”

“When Laslow flirted with Hana and she damn near broke his nose...”

“And these are the people who are supposed to be keeping us safe?”

“It's a good thing they're here, though, or else I'd be the one knocking you out,” Leo barked in laughter, but realised only too late how clumsy his phrasing was. His joy shrank to a scowl as he realised the colour had drained from Takumi's face and there was hardly any trace left of the smile that had stretched so wonderfully on his face just moments ago.

It had been all of ten minutes and he'd already upset his guest. How disappointed his parents would be if they were still around to see such a wild mistake.

“So that's what you think it would be like, huh,” Takumi huffed with a rasp in his voice, “that without a line of devoted people willing to lay down their own lives for us, we couldn't be friends.” He sunk further into the futon.

Leo winced. “Takumi, please, that isn't what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I just...” He twisted words over his tongue for a second, winding around unnecessary blathering and cutting away lexical frills. “What I meant was that I'm glad things turned out like they did. If I didn't have retainers, maybe we wouldn't have been able to progress past enemies – not because I wouldn't want to, but because I wouldn't have known what a real friend was. I'm content with the way things are between all of us and I would never have it any other way – you know that. Can you imagine if Corrin hadn't refused to choose between us? You and I would have been sworn enemies forever. I would have hated that, you know, no matter how frosty we were when we first met. I'm sorry if I upset you, Takumi, truly, I just tend to mince my words. It isn't personal. You're still my best friend. Do you forgive me?”

Takumi huffed and turned to face Leo with a smirk. “'Still', huh?”

He blushed. “Have I- ah, I've never told you that before?”

“I don't believe you have. In fact, I think you've only ever mentioned me twice to other people. It's kinda weird to hear you say it out loud.”

“Oh,” he said, pushing his hairband further up his forehead. “Oh. Well, there you go. You're my best friend. You learn something new every day.”

“Even if it is something you should have been taught when it first happened.”

“Shut up, or I _will_ hit you.”

“Like it would hurt, noodle arms! The heaviest thing you're moving is a book.” He hooked back the sleeve of his kimono and flexed his arm. “You don't want to pit yourself against an archer's muscles.”

Leo reached out to prod at Takumi' stomach. Yelping like a pup, he batted the hand away. “Just as I thought. Those muscles you pride yourself on end at your belly. What you're forgetting is that riding a mount requires a certain amount of abdominal control, not to mention flexibility. I could wrap around you and crush you like a snake...”

“Well, I could strangle you.”

“Could you even reach?”

Takumi pouted mockingly. “That's a low blow.”

“It has to be low, otherwise it'll just fly over you.”

“Hey!”

Leo sniggered. “Come on, we should get to the dining hall. I can smell dinner.”

Takumi looked like a dog pricking its ears up as he sniffed the air with wide eyes, almost scrambling to his feet. “Is that what I think it is? Is that-”

“Miso soup? You're welcome,” He grinned as he watched his auburn eyes widen to saucers.

He didn't particularly feel very thanked as Takumi grabbed his arm and started sprinting in the direction of the smell, Leo stumbling very gracelessly behind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, my laptop is behaving like a hungry toddler and will only work when it feels like it.


	3. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his first night in Nohr, Takumi finds joy in the little things - miso soup, flowers, and leaving Leo out searching for him in the cold.

Leo had been right – Felicia was haphazardly setting out dinner with a little help from Jakob just as they arrived in the dining hall. Either having caught the scent or been called to the meal, the elder princesses were already seated. They both were sitting near the head of the table and chatting, Camilla twisting her hair around her fingers as she batted her eyelashes at Hinoka. Takumi almost gagged.

Leo started towards two chairs facing each other at the other end of the table, pulling one out for his guest.

“Thanks,” Takumi muttered, his eyes still glued to the Crown Princesses despite how their interactions made him feel sick. He shook his head violently and scowled down at the table while Leo sat down.

“She really is relentless, isn't she?”

“Beg pardon?”

“Camilla.” Leo jabbed his thumb towards his sister and scrunched his nose. “I've never seen someone flirt so shamelessly in my life. I'm awfully glad it isn't genetic.”

“Well, unfortunately for me, Hinoka's obliviousness runs through our blood. There hasn't been a romantically aware Hoshidan Royal for centuries, I bet. Great at reading our own family's emotions, terrible at everyone else's.” Rolling his eyes at the women, Takumi leaned in towards Leo. “That's how I know Sakura has a thing for Elise.”

“She has a what?” Leo cried out rather loudly in disbelief, much to his own dismay as the surrounding company began to shoot stares and glares. “I, erm. Apologies. But does she really have a crush on her?”

Takumi scoffed. “Did you never notice? Our families have some weird chemistry with each other. Ryoma and Xander, Camilla and Hinoka, you and me, Elise and Sakura. It's remarkable.”

“You and me?”

“Well, of course. It would be odd to have us be an exception, seeing as we're little different from our kin. The only distinction between us and the rest of our family is that I'm not hopelessly in love with you.”

“I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be,” Leo pouted with mock hurt. Takumi's eyebrows pinched in worry.

“O-of course there isn't! You're a very handsome guy, you're just not- Who knows, maybe I will fall hopelessly in love. Just because I'm not now- I didn't mean it to be rude, I swear!” His face started to twist from concern to anger as the blond threw his head back in laughter. “Oh. _Oh_. Leo, I could throttle you.”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I didn't think you'd react so... animatedly. You should've seen your face! Gods, you were so- you were so _pink!_ I've never seen anybody be so flustered before!”

“Uuuugh...” Takumi groaned, banging his head against the table and folding his arms around his ears to block out the sharp trill of the prince's laughter.

Leo calmed himself, turning his remaining giggles into small coughs, staring down at the fragile figure of his friend, crumpled against the table. “Really though, in all seriousness, thank you for the compliment. It's pleasant to hear it said from someone outside of the family.”

“Well, don't enjoy it too long, 'cause I take it back,” Takumi mumbled through the thick strands of his ponytail, “you're a cruel friend and I wouldn't wish your hand in marriage upon my worst enemies.”

“Don't be such a baby, it was just a jest.”

“You're just a jest.”

“Ouch,” Leo deadpanned, and was about to shoot back something more pointed when he smelled the thick aroma of miso soup drawing closer, and looked to the side to see Jakob nearing the table with a bowl in each hand. He leaned over to prod the Takumi's elbow.

“What do y-ah!” Takumi almost toppled off his chair, realising the servant was waiting for him to lift his head off the placemat. “Um, thank you, sir,” he mumbled in gratitude, quickly folding his hands and sitting upright in a more princely manner. He kept his eyes firmly glued to the table as the miso and silverware were placed in front of him, and Jakob walked away with a bemused expression and one eyebrow raised. _Snob_.

“Feel free to start. It's anybody's guess as to where the others are, but if Ryoma's sense of smell is anywhere near as awful as Xander's, they won't be joining us until someone shoves bowls right under their noses.”

He crinkled his nose. Hopefully, Leo knew his brother as well as he should, and Takumi could dart around Ryoma's inevitable 'talk'. For now, at least. “You're probably right. They do seem to share their quirks.” He picked up a spoon and bowed his head. “ _Itadakimasu_ ,” he recited, and proceeded to scoop his meal into his mouth with inhuman speed. Leo shook his head at the odd Hoshidan tradition and followed suit.

While he truly adored the flavour of miso, Leo never felt he was enjoying it quite enough when he ate with Takumi. The other prince went into a frenzy, devouring bowl after bowl regardless of how much he'd already eaten. His eyes shone with such a sunny glow, cheeks cerise with happiness and heat, hairs starting to spring free of his ponytail as the steam pushed them into frizzy flyaways. Nobody else dared ask for seconds unless they wanted to face the full extent of his wrath – Leo had learned that the hard way. He was at his happiest when eating miso soup, even when his hands were slipping on the unfamiliar cutlery and the liquid was splashing stains onto his garments – he was continuously polite and charming, permanently smiling at anyone who spoke to him, be it Leo himself or one of the servants. Nothing could displace his blissful grin.

“Are you going to slow down at all?” Leo asked.

“Has the answer to that ever been 'yes'?”

“Touché.” Takumi took a break from gulping his meal to quirk an eyebrow. “It means 'good point'. You don't use that word in Hoshido?”

He shook his head. “Nope. You Nohrians have so many weird sayings, I'll never catch them all – what was that one Elise taught me? 'Parking the chariot' with someone?”

Leo choked on a lump of tofu, thumping his chest. “She taught you what?” He shook his head, continuing to hack. “No. No, never say that to anybody. That's... I need to have a word with her. If she tells you anything else, don't mention it at the dinner table, alright?”

Warm voices echoed from the hallway, doors creaking open at Xander and Ryoma's push. The King of Nohr looked a little less like his title than before, free of his billowing cloak and crown, and he guffawed loudly as he made his entrance.

Takumi swallowed the last of his food with urgency. “Hey, um, can we get out of here? Maybe go for a walk? Or go to bed?”

“Of course. The flower gardens are rather lovely at night. Why?”

“I don't- can't talk about that in here. C'mon, where are the gardens?”

Leo didn't have time to finish his soup before he was being dragged down the corridors and out the gates into the sharp nip of the fall cold. “What can possibly be so important that it takes you away from miso soup?” He cried, wrenching his hand from Takumi's grip, wringing his wrist.

They ambled to a stop near a bed of pansies. He pulled sheepishly on the hem of his kimono. “Did anyone tell you why we came?”

“Not really. Only that there was some problem about a trade agreement, but that was as specific as it got.”

“Well, it's sort of... My fault. Nohr isn't exactly my favourite place to be, and apparently my general demeanour here makes Elise uneasy.” Leo quirked a brow. “Look, to cut a long story short, I might cause widespread starvation if I don't stop rubbing people the wrong way. My staying in Nohr is supposed to be a punishment-cum-lesson from Ryoma. He's not exactly pleased with me, and it's easier to keep my dignity intact if I'm not being howled at while everyone watches.”

“I'm not sure whether to laugh at you or be offended that my country serves as a deterrence.”

“I think I know which you'll pick,” he muttered.

Leo snorted as if on cue, cheeks drawing into a wide grin. “You do realise you've essentially been exiled from your own kingdom?”

“And you understand that taunting me will result in me mustering all the energy I have to irritate you as much as possible for the next two weeks?”

“Alright, alright, duly noted. Come, I'll give you a tour. Elise planted some lavender the other week, and she's dying to show it off.”

Takumi let his fingers brush over the flowers that bloomed in clusters from succulent, green stems. Vibrant hues surrounded him, dazzling even in the moonlight. Pinks changed to purples and blues as he followed Leo's footsteps, broad leaves and thick stems fading into delicate, wispy blossoms. Every petal was like velvet under his touch, supple and soft, bending to the curves of his hand. A thicket of gorgeous lilac buds lay ahead, where Leo had stopped walking and bent down to rest his hands against the wooden planter. They were long, thin, with heads of amethyst fuzz embellished with tiny pale flowers, and the smell – oh, the smell was heavenly. Even from a few feet back, it washed over Takumi's entire body like a tidal wave. It was soothing, herbal, a little fruity. He knelt beside the flowerbed and took a deep breath. It smelled like familiarity, and family, and love.

“This is it, isn't it? Elise's lavender.” Leo nodded to him, rolling a stem between his thumb and forefinger, sniffing at the sweet aroma. “Tell her I love it. The smell, the colour... It's beautiful.”

“You don't have anything similar in Hoshido?”

Takumi shrugged. “We did, once upon a time. Fields upon fields of purple flowers, a bit like this. They all dried out and died when the conflict started growing. I suppose they must have been lavender, too, but I haven't seen them anywhere since I was a baby.”

“I'm sure Elise wouldn't mind if you pick a few stems and kept them with you.”

“I couldn't. I don't want to damage the flowers.”

“Actually, cutting off flowers helps them to grow. Here.” Leo dug his thumbnail into the top of the stem and pulled the head loose. Takumi reached to grab it as it fell – and the next one, then the next. “There. They'll still smell even after they die, so they should last you a while. Put them in your pocket – do kimonos have pockets? Doesn't matter, just put them somewhere we can all smell them. Lavender is a far more pleasant scent than miso soup, and you reek of that.” Takumi shoved him so that he toppled into the soil, but tucked the lavender into the collar of his kimono. It tickled his neck in a feathery way.

“What other plants do you keep?” He asked, standing up, shaking his legs free of numbness.

Leo dusted himself off. “If you're looking for something in particular, feel free to search around. If you can think of it, Camilla's planted it.”

“I'll be stranded in this maze before I find it.”

“I'll only be a few steps behind you. You can shout if you're truly lost.”

With that, Takumi began his quest: finding a sakura tree. His favourite blossom and his sister's namesake, it was the one thing that made him feel at home, no matter where in the world he was. Tall, willowy, soft, with a smell so delicate that just breathing broke its wave. If he could find one, snap off a branch or two, and put it by his pillow... Maybe sleeping in Nohr wouldn't seem so unbearable.

He passed by every type of flower imaginable – every colour, every smell, every size, from all the countries he could count. From ice blue hydrangeas to sultry crimson roses, a whole world of greenery surrounded him. Bushes stretched above his head, berries sprang at his sides. Not one sakura tree was there.

Lit only by the scattering of moonlight through branches of evergreen trees arching into the sky, the flower gardens were dark and cold. Looking through eyes used to the vibrant shades of daisies and buttercups, anything duller blended into the night. He bumped into several flowerbeds on his way through the aisles, tripped over stray pebbles, and grumbled at the snickering from behind each time he did so. His patience was growing thin.

Then, in the distance, nestled between fences and pots, dappled with white light, a stunning Hoshidan sakura tree, petals gently ruffling, perfectly pale pink. Takumi hoisted up the bottom of his kimono and broke into a jog. The tree was three or four aisles away, and it sang as he got closer, quiet whispers and giggles carried in its curved branches.

“Brother!” Called a voice, and he stopped in his tracks. Sakura and Elise were huddled by a box of flowers so small they were hardly visible. His younger sister reached for his hand, pulling him down to sit by her. “Brother,” she said, “look! _Wasurenagusa_ \- forget-me-nots!”

As he nestled beside them, he was struck by the unfathomable beauty the flowers held. Each one was half the size of his smallest fingernail, but so saturated with colour that it more than made up for its petiteness. They were powder-blue, cerulean, dusted with freckles of soft lilacs. The smell was gentle, sweet. He picked a fallen stem from the earth and rolled it between his fingers. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Neither Elise's lavender, nor the sakura tree could compare to something so elegantly minute.

“Do you like them?” Elise asked, clasping and unclasping her shivering hands for heat. “Sakura said you don't have them in Hoshido. Maybe you could bring some back and plant it!”

Takumi let the sprig in his hand fall to the ground. “That would be nice, but sometimes plants from other countries can carry hidden diseases that kill other things around it.”

Elise pouted. “Maybe I could press some for you. They'd be dead, so they wouldn't hurt your flowers, but it'd be pretty.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea!” Sakura nodded. The girls' faces grew rosy with excitement. “Maybe you and I can do it together!”

“Of course! We can be flower friends!”

“Flower friends,” Sakura seconded, and giggled at Elise's enthusiastic grin.

Takumi kept his eyes on the flowers, unable to look away. He felt just as giddy as the princesses. “What did you call these flowers?” He asked.

“Forget-me-nots! You can give them to people you care about to show that you'll always love them.” Her eyes glittered with childish glee. “I'm so, so happy you like them!”

He stared for a moment longer, then realised he'd quite forgotten what he set out to find – and who he'd been finding it with. “Hey, sis, there's a sakura tree just round the corner. It's just like the ones outside your bedroom at home.”

“Oh, really? Oh, Elise, show me! Please!”

She hummed affirmation and hopped up, pulling Sakura to her feet. “Takumi, do you want to come and see it?”

“I can't. I'm supposed to be staying with Leo, and I don't know where he's gone. Have either of you seen him?”

“No,” answered Elise, “but I'm sure he'll catch up. Come on, come see the tree!”

He doggedly followed the two girls round the partitions, into the square of tiles that surrounded the tree. It was every bit as lovely as the ones in Hoshido, yet still nothing compared to the forget-me-nots. He found himself turning around again just to look at the spot they were in, though it was obscured by shrubberies. In his stupor, he could make out nothing but the rustling of the breeze through leaves, his sister giggling behind him, talking to Elise, and Elise responding with words that only made her giggle more.

He lost interest in the sakura tree entirely, and the cold seemed to leave a bitter sting when he snapped from his trance.

“Elise,” he called, “how do I get inside from here?”

“I'll show you,” she said, “we should probably go inside too, before it gets any colder.”

“Hey, Elise...” Sakura broke a twig from the blossom tree and tucked it behind Elise's ear, making her cheeks red as berries. “Oh! S-sorry! I just thought it would look pretty. I didn't- let's go inside.” Takumi rolled his eyes and followed them through to the garden gates.

Though it took a few minutes to reach the doors to the castle, he hadn't caught any sign of Leo. Maybe he'd gone inside to bed. He entered the main hall, hugged his younger sister goodnight, and walked briskly to the bedroom, nodding politely at the maids and retainers who greeted him along the way. He knocked on Leo's door a few times, out of courtesy more than anything, but opened it to an empty room, besides the regular furniture, and Takumi's futon and bags. He shut the door, knelt beside his luggage, took out his nightclothes and washbag, and locked himself into the bathroom, two doors down the hall from the bedroom.

It was all garish gold and marble, sleek, smooth, and flat. Takumi felt alien in his dull, crinkled clothes, all beige cotton and not a sparkle to be seen. The mirrors and basin were pristinely kept, gleaming as if new. Even the water seemed to glisten like liquid diamond when he bent over to clean his teeth. He sauntered back to the room, kimono slung crookedly over his shoulder and shoes hung from his fingers, desperate to close his eyes and get away from the glamour of it all.

As he moved to twist the doorknob, the door swung open in front of him, washing him with a gust of icy air. Leo stood before him, cloaked in silk pyjamas, cheeks red and puffy as apples, tucking his purple fingers between his armpits. He looked up with tired chestnut eyes and scowled.

“I was out there looking for you for ages,” he groaned, “where were you?”

“With Elise and Sakura, looking at flowers. They thought you'd gone inside.”

“I hadn't. I ran round half the castle trying to find you. I'm going to stick a sign down your back so I can't lose you.”

“Will it say 'if lost, return to Nohrian scum'?”

“Ugh. On second thoughts, I'll just hold your hand. Like a baby. Maybe get you a stroller, too.”

“Can you shut up and let me in?”

Leo smirked to himself as Takumi tossed his clothes on the floor and curled into the futon, remembering to pick the lavender out from his kimono and lay it on the floor beside him. He locked the door, blew out the candles at his bedside, and crawled under the covers. “Are you comfortable down there? Need an extra pillow? Blankets? Water?”

“A futon and some peace and quiet are all I need, Prince Prissypants. You can stop pretending to be a model host now.”

“Oh, good! I've been fighting the itch to bully you all day.”

Takumi snorted. “Goodnight, Leo.”

“Goodnight, Takumi. Rest well – or as well as you can with all the curses I put on you while you sleep.” He cackled in a mock-spooky way, then let it dissolve into a chuckle that echoed from deep in his chest.

It was a good sound to fall asleep to.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes I know it's been almost a year  
> I know I'm the worst at this whole 'updating' malarkey sorry sorry  
> would you believe me if I said my dog ate the chapter?  
> ...  
> ...  
> okay don't look at me like that


	4. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takumi wakes up to find that, much to his chagrin, he is still in Nohr, still decked in their clothing, and still stuck in their underground gloom.  
> Xander has some (badly organised) plans to fix that.

3.

Morning broke from a languid sunrise; a coral haze leaning against the violet of nighttime, slowly pushing it until it faded from view. Liquid gold light bled through the curtains, settled in perfect angles at the cracks under the doors. It nestled into the corners of Takumi's eyelids, pushing light at the skin before he groaned, stretched an arm up to cover his face, and propped himself up on an elbow. He yawned into his shirt. Muscles tingling with first movement, he stretched until his shirt rose, exposing a strip of skin above his navel. Cold bit into his belly as the air rushed to greet it, drawing out a shocked yelp.

For a Hoshidan, the Nohrian sunrise was a bitterly rude awakening.

Breath clouded in front of him, white as the covers he'd gathered round his body. At home, he could sleep on top of the covers, only in his underclothes, and still feel as if he was being boiled alive. If he wasn't hurled out a window for doing it in Nohr, he'd certainly freeze to death. Apparently, it wasn't a native problem; Leo lay quite unguarded in his bed, arms at right angles to his head, the sun weaving a halo through his golden hair. He hadn't furled the blankets or curled into a ball to shut out the cold, he was just lying still, pretty as a picture. Takumi supposed he must be used to it, but couldn't begin to imagine living in such grim conditions for longer than two weeks. The thought made him shudder.

A knock clapped through the door, sending Takumi jumping to his feet. “Lord Leo, breakfast will be served shortly,” came Felicia's voice.

“Mhmm...” He rolled over into his pillow.

Feeling rather foolish, Takumi sat down again, folding his arms across his chest. His jumpiness was a part of the war that hadn't left him yet. He reached into the bag at the end of his bed for clothes.

“Good morning,” Leo groaned, peeling away from his sheets with a lazy smile.

“Not really,” Takumi responded, “it's colder than ice in here. I don't know how you sleep.”

“You'll become acclimatised to it by the end of the week. You'd be warmer if you let your hair down, though.” He paused. “What are you doing?”

“Getting clothes..? It's breakfast time.”

“You're in Nohr. You must look as a Nohrian should.” Leo ambled to the black wood dresser in the far corner, near the futon, and dug through for a suitable outfit. “Here,” he said, and tossed over a bundle of dark clothes in varying weights of satin.

Takumi grimaced. “Why do you always dress as if someone died?” He muttered to himself, then headed to the bathroom to change.

He still wasn't used to the feel of cold marble touching his skin when he arched his back to take off his shirt, or the reflection in sharp glass that greeted him when he recoiled. The ribbon tie in his hair, bright crimson and hemmed with white, stood out like a sore thumb against the deep mauves and violets of his borrowed clothing. His shirt – white, starchy and cuffed – was fairly standard, save for the copious ruffles, complemented by a tight-fitting waistcoat. At home, even at the most tragic funeral, he would never wear something like this, yet he suspected this was casual attire here. Everything creased in harsh lines, too tight and rigid to move as he willed. He caught his reflection and grimaced. His body was too Hoshidan to suit the outfit; his hipbones strained against the waist of his dress pants, shirt collar loose around his neck and shoulders, making him appear ungainly and thin. He tugged the ribbon free of his hair and let it all fall about his collarbone in thick tresses. It hid the misshapen shirt well enough for him to look vaguely ordinary. He shook his head, splashed a little water from the bath into his weary face, and bundled his bedclothes under his arm. Leo wasn't in the room when he returned, so he hurried down to the dining hall instead.

He was hit immediately with the overwhelming scent of hot, boiled berries, so thick and strong that he could feel the smell sink into his clothes already. Sakura was sat by the middle of the dining table, fidgeting with the sleeves of a puffy gown that looked as if it was straight from Princess Elise's wardrobe. Takumi chuckled and moved to sit beside his younger sister.

“Enjoying the tailoring, Sakura?”

She glared up at him with a scowl that quickly fell into a look of hopelessness. “It isn't that I don't like this dress, just – it doesn't suit me at all. The purple clashes with my hair, and the bodice is so tight I can hardly breathe. Elise said I looked pretty. I think I look like a clown.”

“It could be worse,” he shrugged, “it could have lace.”

She laughed softly, then groaned into her hands. “Oh, Takumi, I look such a fool.”

He patted her back gently and leaned into her with a sympathetic sigh. “It's only for a little while. Once we're home, you'll never have to look at another frilly ballgown again. And if you do, I promise it'll be Ryoma wearing it.”

Sakura giggled. “Oh, that would be a sight! Imagine, all of him covered in pink flowers and netting and velvet. All his hair would get caught! Oh, speaking of which...” She stood and plucked the ribbon from Takumi's wrist, gathering the shorter lengths of his choppy mane and twisting them into a small ponytail at the back of his head. She tied it swiftly and pulled it into a small loop. “Much better. You look so much more elegant with all that hair out of the way,” she said with an accomplished smile.

“Oh, what a darling dress!”

They both jolted, glanced up to see Princess Camilla striding down from the hallways, dressed head to toe in plum velour. Her gown ruched at the breast and cinched at the waist, billowing out into an almost bridal train behind her. It was simple, elegant, and, as usual, breathtakingly beautiful.

“Princess Camilla!” Sakura got to her feet and bowed – a custom not used in Nohr, but considered basic manners in Hoshido. “You look amazing!”

“Why, thank you, sweetie! This dress is one of my favourites. It's made of the softest material. Come, feel it!”

Sakura skittered to converse with Camilla, and Takumi was once again alone. He gazed into the distance, focus flitting from decoration to decoration, marvelling silently at how garish it all was – jewels and silks and gilted embellishments, such a far cry from Hoshidan banners and painted fabrics. It felt like attending some fancy party, but he was sure he'd tire quickly of all the glamour, especially when even the dining table was adorned with polished candelabra and specks of confetti cut into the Nohrian crest. He picked up a piece and rolled it between his fingers, bouncing the light in different directions. Hmph. How patriotic.

Finally revealing himself, Leo emerged from the kitchens, running a hand through his fringe. He was dressed in the same kind of finery as Takumi, but with a vest made of the same orchid purple fabric as his elder sister's dress. His cheeks were smeared with jam, and he sucked at his equally sticky fingertips before catching Takumi's inquisitive gaze and ashamedly lowering his hand. He turned to his side and muttered something, jabbing at someone with his elbow, and came to the table with Elise in tandem, a few strands of hair glued to the smudge of red on her mouth. Her fuzzy ballgown seemed to indicate some kind of theme among today's outfits.

“Good morning, Prince Leo!” Sakura said, turning and bowing.

He waved a hand. “Just 'Leo' is fine.”

“He means 'good morning, Lady Sakura, thank you for being so polite even though I'm a big jerk',” Elise sighed. She caught Leo's elbow again and winked.

He rolled his eyes and sat down at the table, eyeing Takumi closely. He leaned over the table, reached out and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, shaking his head. “I can't even trust you to put the buttons through the right holes,” he muttered.

Takumi rolled his eyes. “You talk with the confidence of a man who hasn't been caught with his trousers on backwards, yet I seem to recall seeing knots and bows on someone's backside a few weeks ago.”

Leo delivered a quick shove to his fellow prince's shoulder and sat back in his chair with a sulky pout. “I didn't know you were supposed to tie them at the front. They looked more sensible at the back.” He drummed his fingers against the dining table. “Camilla, do you know what Xander was planning for today? He told me yesterday that he'd send someone by to let me know, but I haven't heard from anyone.”

“Oh, I do!” Elise piped, “I think he said something about the markets, you know, giving our guests the real Nohrian experience!” Leo groaned and threw his head back in disdain. “Oh, come on, Leo, don't be such a grouchypants. It'll be fun! You might even find a wedding gift for your favourite prince in the whole wide world.” She winked playfully.

“Funny,” he grumbled, head still lolling on the back of his chair. “What exactly are the markets supposed to show? The beauty of rampant poverty? How fun it is to have your coin purse slit? Could he not have chosen somewhere more tasteful, for royalty?”

“Oh, please, Prince Leo! I'm sure it isn't that bad,” Sakura said, pulling her sleeves over her hands. “B-besides, we love markets, right, Takumi? It'll be a wonderful opportunity to find some Nohrian keepsakes or souvenirs! Perhaps we can find a shop with flowers for us to press.”

“Trust me when I say the only flowers you'll find down there will be wilted,” Leo scoffed, and Elise and Takumi shot him a pair of scalding glares. “I- unless you pick them straight from the bushes,” he amended, looking to the other prince for approval, relaxing at the nod of his head.

Camilla lay a hand on the young princess's shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. “Don't worry, Sakura, I promise it isn't nearly as awful as my little brother makes it out to be – in fact, I'm quite sure that you'll enjoy it; there's a stall that sells baked goods, and their calzones are unparalleled! You'll learn soon enough that there are people in this castle you should listen to, and some to whom you should smile and nod. As a rule, dear, the women of the house make better conversation.” Leo suppressed his sharp volley of responses, stood and made for the kitchen, where bowls were starting to line up in the serving hatch.

Breakfast consisted of steaming hot porridge sweetened with berry jam, a suitably sugary pink in colour and rich in scent. Beginning to load the bowls onto serving trays, the young prince felt footsteps vibrate behind him. Takumi appeared at his side, following his movements carefully, loading dish after dish into his tray.

“You've got far too many bowls. You're going to drop them,” Leo said, balancing his platter on one arm and robbing his companion of his excess with the other.

Takumi pouted. “I was just trying to help.”

“I know, but you'd do well to avoid any more trouble while you're here. Besides, you're a guest. We should be serving you, not the other way around.” He nodded toward the table, but Takumi being as stubborn as he was, retook the spare bowl and returned to the table. Leo smirked and came after him.

“Oh, this looks divine! I haven't had porridge in an age,” Camilla crooned, tucking into the nearest bowl she could grab. “Come, Princess Sakura, you simply must try some!” Busy devouring their morning meal, the girls didn't seem to notice their missing siblings. They were too preoccupied 'ooh'ing and 'aah'ing into their hot bowls of oatmeal. Takumi considered mentioning it, but decided it went against his better judgement, which was the sense of increasingly ravenous hunger dwelling in his gut, so he sat with his company and ate in silence.

Porridge was sort of like stew, but a lot thicker, and a different texture. In fact, it wasn't like stew at all, but he had to equate it in some way to something tolerable, because if he didn't, he'd be driven mad by his turmoil between chewing and not chewing the oats. Nobody else seemed to be particularly bothered by his conundrum, especially not Camilla, who was practically melting into her breakfast with joy. Leo, again sat across from him, was too busy eating to hold any conversation, so Takumi gritted his teeth, scooped up his porridge, and swallowed it before he could feel it pass his tongue.

“Where in the world are Corrin and the others?” He said through a mouthful of gloop, just about managing not to gag at the way it turned a rancid cold when he opened his mouth.

Leo shrugged. “If I remember correctly, Corrin is staying to do a little immigration work with some of the advisors today. As for Xander, he's likely still being dressed.”

“Being dressed?”

“Of course. He's the King. You can't very well let the King do everything himself, or he'll go mad with power. Ryoma doesn't have his servants dress him?” Takumi shook his head. “Huh. Well, he certainly will while he's here. Our people are so terribly frightened of another war that they'll even go as far as to treat him with more respect than they treat Xander – though I doubt they'll extend Corrin the same courtesy. Her kindness is too famous for her kingdom to be a threat.”

The doors were thrown open abruptly, King Xander himself looming in the hallway. His face was fixed in his typical scowl, yet seemed more thunderous than usual. Sakura instinctively stood up to bow. “Sit,” he ordered sternly, and she did so with a flush. “Would one of you care to explain why I have made our guests wait for a half hour while you sit around and dine?”

Elise made a show of blinking dazedly at the others. “W-we thought we were waiting for you,” she said. Xander pounded his fist against the table, sending the cutlery rattling. Sakura visibly shrank into herself.

“I gave the message to my retainers to send you to the carriages at once. You would ignore a direct order from your King?”

“Hold, brother,” Leo challenged, “we never received any message. Neither Takumi nor I have seen any trace of Peri or Laslow this morning. Perhaps there's been a misunderstanding.”

“I see.” The King's face turned even more sour. “Well, then. I'll have to give them something they can't misunderstand. Pardon me – I need to find my useless retainers before they cause any more trouble.” With an overdramatic twist of his dark cape, he was gone. His footsteps shook the table, and his booming voice dripped anger through the walls, and while his physical presence had left the room, his rage had left a clear trail.

Takumi dropped his spoon into the bowl. “Somehow, I'm not hungry any more.”

“Ignore him,” Leo said with a roll of his eyes, “he's only irritated by his own incompetency. Shall we leave?”

“I think we better had,” Camilla hummed, smoothing her dress as she stood and offered a hand to both Sakura and Elise. “Come, girls, you can ride in my carriage. Hinoka and I are far better company than the King.”

“Takumi and I are left with Xander and Ryoma, then? Marvellous.” He sighed and got up, letting his guest lead the way.

By the time they'd gathered their purses and caught Leo's retainers, Xander was waiting ready by his cart outside, guarded by the two most sheepish looking nobles Takumi had ever had the amusement to see. They must have been the King's retainers – Peri and Laslow, if memory served. Ryoma accompanied them, draped in Nohrian finery. Takumi's chest tightened; he'd been so preoccupied with settling into Nohr that he'd forgotten the very reason he was there.

Leo must have noticed his swelling apprehension, as he nudged him with his elbow and raised his eyebrows in question. Takumi gave a shrug.

“Ah, brother. I'm glad you're finally here,” said Ryoma, pointedly, “we were beginning to wonder if something had happened to you.”

“Please, my lord, it's my fault. He was not to know the arrangements of this morning. It was my failure to check that led to our tardiness.” Leo was, whether he knew it or not, bowing his head to Ryoma, hands clasped at his back in the form of a Hoshidan apology. Takumi's lips twitched into a smirk, despite his elder brother's relentless glare.

“There's no need for apology, Leo, I've already punished my... forgetful retainers accordingly,” Xander confirmed, shooting glares at the two armour-clad nobles, who were practically dripping with sweat. “Speaking of which, have you assigned one of your retainers to your guest?”

“No,” Leo snorted.

“Why not? Do you not trust your guards?”

He flushed pink. “I- err, well- I-I wanted to let Takumi pick for himself! Because... it would be better if he was more comfortable..?”

“Odin!” He said, “I pick Odin.”

“Are you quite sure, milord?” Niles purred, creeping up behind with the silence of a cat, “my comrade here can be somewhat... Extravagant.” Takumi was definitely sure. If he had a choice between Odin, wacky sorcerer, self-proclaimed vessel of the stars, and all around lunatic, or Niles, he would pick Odin every time.

“I think he's right, actually,” the other prince agreed. Takumi prepared to strangle him. “I don't think Odin is the best man to get lost in the markets with. Niles at least knows his way around.”

“It's true! I know the markets like the back of my own hand – I know the shortcuts, the secrets, the... back entrances.”

“That's that, then. Niles will accompany Takumi, and Laslow will guard Ryoma.” Xander stepped back from the carriage as Peri reached to open it for him, and stepped in with practiced elegance.

His fellow archer wrapped a hand over his shoulder. “My lord, it is my sworn duty for the next two weeks to guard all the inches of your body until my final, gasping breath. It would be my sincerest pleasure to watch you every waking moment.”

He turned to Leo, who was pursing his lips in an attempt to keep a straight face. “You're a cruel bastard, you know that?”

“You should watch your mouth in front of my retainers, Takumi,” he winked, “every waking moment, remember.” Takumi did nothing but grumble as he followed into the carriage and sat begrudgingly beside Niles.

Despite being mid-morning, the skies above Castle Krakenburg were murky and dull, the occasional dash of light creeping through only to be blotted out by a tree or tower. Such darkness did little to alleviate the tired throb of his head. As they began moving, the horses jolting forward at the crack of a whip, the clouds seemed to swirl ever closer in dizzying spiralled tendrils, like some kind of claw creeping toward them to cut them from their cart and squeeze them like a boa. Relief came in the form of an ink-black tunnel, the glow of an oil lamp, and the sound of steadfast hooves. Takumi shuddered the last of the sky’s grip from his back.

“Are you alright?” Leo’s voice came as a gentle murmur from across the row. “You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?”

He scoffed. “Of course not. I’m afraid of what’s outside of the dark.”

“Oh?”

“The sky here is so threatening. It looms so much it almost looks almost sentient. It’s the sort of thing you’d never see back home.”

Leo hummed. “It’s worse in the morning, and it always brightens up once we leave the fort. I shouldn’t fret, you’ll soon get used to it.” Takumi squinted at the oncoming grey haze at the end of the tunnel, finding Leo’s words to be of small comfort when faced again with the low-hanging smog. Get used to it, maybe, but he’d never like this. He lowered his eyes to the ground, and waited out the worst of it.

“Milord?” He jolted at the close croon of Niles’ voice, almost toppling over completely. He must have dozed off at some point, he realised, as the carriage was now brightly lit and empty, save himself and his retainer. He looked out of the window and almost lost his breath. They were surrounded by bustling crowds of commoners, all joyfully chatting and cheering to each other. There were enormous stalls and vendors, all swarmed with customers, displaying huge painted banners that read things like ‘three rolls for the price of two’ and ‘a piece a pie’. The carriage was surrounded by thick swathes of long grass embroidered with flowers with richer colours than any he’d seen before. This couldn’t be Nohr. It just couldn’t.

“Milord Takumi,” Niles repeated, “do you require my assistance getting out?”

He didn’t reply. He pressed up against the seats to look out the rear window, marvelling at the endless stretch of clean land, watching the people playfully chase one another with beaming smiles on their faces. “Niles, where are we? Is this still Nohr?”

He was met with a chuckle. “Ahh, so you like our little slice of rurality, do you? As much as I’m sure it displeases you, milord, we are indeed still in Nohr.” He clapped a hand on his back. “Welcome to the markets.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i did it again i forgot to update i'm sorry  
> i mean i was gonna draw it out longer but decided to split a chapter in half to be kind, so, it could be worse!!  
> i'm very sorry i'm a terrible creator to do this to you all but i hope the next chapter will make it up to you ;^) and that IS coming soon, promise! i'm halfway through it now!

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write a slow burn fic foreeeeever but I honestly don't have the patience. But this time will be different! This time I will work my lil socks off until I learn that good things come to authors who wait!
> 
> I hope you like this! If you want to see more, feel free to bookmark! I can't promise to update every week or anything because school but I'll try my very best!  
> All kudos and comments are very much appreciated -It makes me so happy to know you enjoy my writing! (*´∀`*)


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